'My daughter is coeliac, here are 9 gluten free items we swear by.'

"Your daughter has coeliac disease."

When I first heard the paediatrician say those words, I thought: "Oh. No."

At nine years old, I didn't think there was another person on Earth who loved bread, pasta and noodles as much as she did. But, with a positive spirit and a determined attitude (not to mention, no choice), she took it in her stride and we took off to the shops to gather a little gluten free haul. 

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We came home with bread that tasted like Playdough, wraps that snapped as you rolled them, muffins that crumbled, and pasta that got super soggy.

With a family of seven, this was going to put a fairly large damper on 'taco night' and 'spaghetti' night. 

So, we set ourselves a mission to find gluten free food that actually tastes like food. Over a year of trial and error, here are our favourites.

Latina Fresh gluten free lasagna sheets.

I discovered these yummy sheets after my daughter begged me to cook a lasagna recipe she'd found on TikTok. I'd tried a couple of other brands of lasagne sheets, including dry pasta ones and they always came out rubbery and chewy. These fresh pasta sheets, however, passed both the brothers test and the dad test. Which is no mean fete given all the males in the family bristle at the mere words gluten free. 

Image: Woolworths.

Tip Top The One gluten free wholemeal bread.

I think of all the limitations associated with being forced to eat gluten free, bread is the most challenging, because it's so... required. I discovered pretty quickly that most gluten free breads will taste marginally better once toasted, but even then, we went through a lot that my daughter simply couldn’t, or wouldn’t, eat. This loaf, is the only one that doesn’t lead to a mini-meltdown, and she’ll eat it as toast, a toastie, even fresh.

Image: Woolworths.

San Remo gluten free spaghetti.

Pasta is a tricky one when it comes to buying gluten free and there are so many options, many of which are awful. As with many things, it does come down to a matter of personal preference, but we found many either didn't become soft enough, or became soggy really quickly. This spaghetti turns out as close to al dente as I've seen, and can be twisted around your fork without snapping. 

Image: Woolworths.

Twisted Minis frozen yogurt desert.

Naturally gluten free, these mini yogurt deserts are my daughter’s favourite when we’re having a party or other celebration and she knows she won’t be able to enjoy the cake. The only problem is, the other kids are often trying to get their hands on them too. They’re also super healthy. 

Image: Woolworths.

Peckish original rice crackers.

Also, not a “gluten free” version of another product, but these crackers just so happen to be gluten free. My daughter absolutely loves these. There are a huge range of rice crackers available, but these ones are the only ones that get devoured at my place. 

Image: Coles.

Old El Paso gluten free wraps (and taco powder).

Finding gluten free wraps that are actually edible has been the hardest gluten free product to find. I eat a lot of wraps myself, and we tried the GF version of the brands I usually buy — almost all snapped in half when you tried to roll them. Just when I thought taco nights were going to be a thing of the past, my husband came home with Old El Paso wraps, (which I’d always avoided due to the cost), and they just worked. My daughter could stuff them full of taco goodness and roll them up without an issue. 

Image: Woolworths.

Gluten free Tim Tams.

Sadly, finding gluten free biscuits has been a tricky business. We've tried mint slices, chocolate chip cookies and a bunch of others, but they never passed the taste test. I grabbed a packet of gluten free TimTams in desperation when we were heading to a party and I didn't want my daughter to miss out, and she loved them. I gave them a try myself and I can attest, they are delish. 

Image: Coles.

Yoodles brown rice noodles.

Saying goodbye to two-minute noodles was a sad moment for my daughter — she was a solid fan. Unfortunately, there are few gluten free noodle options, outside of rice noodles, which, while I love, can be an acquired taste for many — my daughter included. We tried a few brands, and this one is the only one she'll bother with. 

Image: Woolworths.

Ingham's gluten free chicken breast tenders.

While I’ve learnt to prioritise cooking things from scratch, it still remains one of my least favourite tasks. Some nights I just want to make things easy, and these ready made chicken tenders are perfect to throw in the oven alongside a few veggies. 

Image: Woolworths.

Feature Image: Woolworths/Coles.

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